Hotel Highlights

Overview

Tucked away in the foothills of Snowdonia, North Wales, Ffynnon is as close to the Mr & Mrs Smith rural B&B ideal as it’s possible to be. With just four rooms and two suites, it’s gloriously intimate; and its blend of Victorian references and seriously stylish 21st-century design flourishes forms the ideal backdrop to a relaxing weekend in the country. The hospitality on offer is second to none.

Rates

More details

Rates include breakfast.

Also

If it’s wet outside – and, remember, this is North Wales so there’s a good chance it will be – there’s a selection of card and board games to borrow in the guest lounge. Two-night minimum stay at weekends (three on public holiday weekends).

Our favourite rooms

We love the ultra-romantic Sydney room, which comes with a beautiful slipper bath and a king-size bed that’s dominated by a gothic headboard. However, you’re bound to be happy with whichever room you choose – all are sumptuously decorated and equipped with all the modern touches you’d expect. Beds come with cosy Welsh blankets, and there’s even a pillow menu provided, so you can ensure a well-rested head.

Poolside

No pool, but there's a small outdoor hot tub just outside. Reserve a session when you check in, and order some champagne and strawberries to enjoy in the steam.

Packing tips

Don’t forget your swimwear. It might not sound like the most obvious thing to bring to North Wales, but you’ll be kicking yourself if you have to stay out of the outdoor hot tub because of a lack of Lycra.

Also

Pet&dash;friendly

Dogs are welcome to stay, but not in bedrooms: there's a warm ground-floor room to sleep, eat and play in, plus a private garden. Bring bedding, cages, toys, food and any other home comforts. Only one family's pets can stay at a time – check when booking.

Children

Cots and a baby pack with a high chair, steriliser and monitor are provided for £25 a night for under-twos. Extra beds for under-16s can be put into rooms for £25 a night, and a free baby-listening service is also available.

Food & Drink

Hotel Restaurant

There isn’t a restaurant at Ffynnon, though the hotel prides itself on its breakfasts made with local produce, served in the guest lounge, which, depending on the season, include eggs benedict with smoked salmon, Glamorgan sausages with spicy tomato chutney and crempogau (Welsh pancakes) served with bacon or wild fruit compote.

Hotel Bar

Residents can help themselves from a wide selection of drinks and snacks, including local Pen-Lon beers and moreish Cathryn Cariad chocolates, in the guest lounge honesty bar – made from an old gramophone chest. Sit and sip amid the well-chosen antique and modern furnishings to a laid-back Gershwin and classical soundtrack.

Last orders

Breakfast is served till 9.30am (10am on weekends and public holidays).

Room service

In the quieter months (Nov–Mar), a selection of filled paninis, home-made soups or a Welsh cheese platter are all available between 6pm and 10pm.

Smith Insider

Dress code

Not too scruffy, not too sexy.

Local Guide

Worth getting out of bed for

Explore a little Welsh culture, enjoy the rugged beauty of the countryside and track wild mountain birds (including Peregrine falcons, buzzards, kestrels and kites) on a private 4x4 tour with the passionate, knowledgeable and charming Elfin Pugh, owner of Red Kite Safaris (+44 (0)1654 703160). Visit the village of Portmeirion on the southern shores of Snowdonia and pick up some of the famous pottery, sometimes at bargain prices. Adrenalin junkies can experience every imaginable extreme sport in these parts, from kitesurfing to zip-lining – just ask the folk at Ffynnon to book you in.

Local restaurants

Y Sospan (01341 422481) is a renowned local bistro housed in the former town courthouse. The owners have retained the flagstone floor and antique fittings, and serve a hearty menu of locally sourced meats and cheeses – the option of adding Welsh rarebit to your steak is especially tantalising. Combining stunning traditional and contemporary design with unparalleled panoramic views over Mawddach estuary and the Cader Idris mountain range, Bwyty Mawddach (01341 424020) offers a modern, luxurious menu made with the finest seasonal ingredients available. A favourite with locals and visitors alike, the George III Hotel (01341 422525) at Penmaenpool is a pub situated by the side of the beautiful Mawddach estuary. It’s a fantastic place to while away the time over a good bar meal or Sunday lunch. Fish is a speciality. The Old County Gaol Restaurant (01341 422554), in the cellar at Y Meirionnydd Hotel, is well known locally for serving quality local produce. It boasts one of the most comprehensive selections of Welsh wines in the region. Castle Cottage in Harlech (01766 780479) is so dedicated to serving Welsh produce the owners can tell you where every suckling pig or salmon hails from. Venison from Brecon, bacon from the Llyn Peninsular and free-range chicken from Ruthin are just some of the delicacies gracing their seasonal three-course dinner menu.

Reviews

Anonymous review

Mr Smith and I are escaping our four children, two dogs, one cat, the goldfish and two very hectic lives to celebrate our wedding anniversary at Ffynnon in the foothills of Snowdonia. Mr Smith wants mountains and I want the sea, so North Wales seems the perfect destination.
As the hills turn to mountains and the countryside goes through every shade of green, we know we must be nearly there. Dol…

Ffynnon

Anonymous review by Jo Girardet, Hotel insider

Mr Smith and I are escaping our four children, two dogs, one cat, the goldfish and two very hectic lives to celebrate our wedding anniversary at Ffynnon in the foothills of Snowdonia. Mr Smith wants mountains and I want the sea, so North Wales seems the perfect destination.

As the hills turn to mountains and the countryside goes through every shade of green, we know we must be nearly there. Dolgellau’s grey, squashed-together stone houses greet us, Mr Smith tackles the bends and narrow streets without taking out a pedestrian or the side of a house, and I cling to my seat as though I am on a white-knuckle ride at the funfair. The imposing Ffynnon, formerly a rectory, stands looking over the town with views to the hills beyond. Seconds after I have rung the doorbell, a man opens the door and greets me by my Christian name. Now that’s what I call service.

The man turns out to be Steve, co-owner of the hotel with his wife Debbie. After a friendly chat we are shown to our suite – which has the reassuringly Welsh name of Myfanwy. A brass bed stands centre stage; it is dressed in cool, crisp Egyptian white cotton so smooth it could be silk, while the duvet is so large it skims the floor on either side. Mr Smith and I won’t be fighting over the covers in the middle of the night. The room, decorated in subtle shades of green and gold, manages to feel decadent while still remaining understated. In the large bathroom, a double-ended roll-top bath stands on a pale travertine floor, and the greens of the walls are repeated in the mosaic tiles. Sash windows let the light flood in, but aren’t so big that you have to keep ducking in case somebody outside sees you in a state of undress.

The rest of the house has been renovated so that traditional styles are blended with the modern. There is nothing old-fashioned or stuffy about Ffynnon. It is a grand lady who has been brought back to life with care and attention, and has been turned into something sophisticated. The original features remain intact, comfy chairs and large sofas surround ornate fireplaces, dark wooden furniture mixes with Debbie and Steve’s personal artefacts, a different chandelier hangs in almost every room.

Back downstairs to the drawing room, we head straight for what we consider to be the most important thing in the house – the honesty bar. A gin and tonic in each of our hands, we are served tea and home-made Welsh cakes as we sit and admire the grand piano. I feel like a house guest being restored after a long journey. Mr Smith chooses a bottle from the wine list and we retire to our room for some R ’n’ R.

The following day, we climb Cader Idris in the mist. As we cannot see for more than a foot in front of us there are some hairy moments as we try not to fall to our deaths, but, as usual, Mr Smith is cool as a cucumber and guides me trembling back down to safety. We stop to enjoy a lavish picnic prepared by Debbie in a perfect spot overlooking a lake. Refuelled and happy, we head back to Ffynnon where relaxation and luxurious comfort await.

Although Ffynnon does not serve evening meals, Debbie and Steve help us to find an excellent restaurant nearby. There is a little trouble booking a taxi, but Steve comes to the rescue and dons his chauffeur’s hat, which apparently he does quite often. Bwyty Mawddach restaurant is in an oak barn, which has been converted with flair to an impressive building of steel and glass. Leather sofas and chairs abound, so diners can gaze at the heavenly view as the sun sets over the Mawddach estuary. The food is all sourced locally and is delicious.

It only takes me one full day before I feel so at home at Ffynnon that I come down to breakfast in my socks. Debbie and Steve are experts in pampering their guests without being intrusive – they genuinely can’t do enough for you. In fact, I am so relaxed that when a fellow guest asks me how long I am staying, I find that I have no idea. I’ve completely forgotten what day it is and how long I’ve been at the hotel.

After walking on one of the many windswept beaches and climbing Cader Idris once more – this time under clear blue skies – it is time to go home. Ffynnon may not the place to stay if you are looking for buzzing nightlife or fabulous shops, but if you want to swap your high heels for walking boots and need fresh air, exhilarating exercise, glorious scenery, good food and wine, and to be cared for by hosts whose attention to detail is outstanding, then Ffynnon is definitely the place for you. Of course, if you really can’t do without a bit of glamour, then there’s always the hot tub in the garden.

The Guestbook

Whenever you book a stay at a Smith hotel with us, we'll invite you to review it when you get back. Read what other Smith members have to say about Ffynnon in the Guestbook below…

Sharon

SilverSmith

Stayed on
10 Jun 2015

We loved

The position to explore the Snowdonia area. Within walking distance of the town resturants.

Don’t expect

To use the hot-tub - it didn't look too appealing.

Rating:
6/10 stars

Jonathan

BlackSmith

Stayed on
28 Nov 2014

We loved

Great decor, room was stylish, bathroom was exceptional.

Don’t expect

I think afternoon tea would be a good idea, got a bit peckish, but breakfast was superb.

Rating:
10/10 stars

Mary Jane

SilverSmith

Stayed on
4 Sep 2014

We loved

Ffynnon is a beautifully restored and appointed traditional Welsh flint townhouse, full of character and a genuine home-from-home feeling including a butler's kitchen so you can prepare your own picnic lunch. We were very happy to have enough time to indulge in most of the delicious breakfast menu.

Don’t expect

Joe

BlackSmith

Stayed on
23 Aug 2014

We loved

We loved the attention from the owners, the wonderful breakfast, the size of the rooms, the great shower and the quirkiness of the location. The hotel really felt like you had 'discovered' something! We also liked the lounge area and honesty drinks and chocolate bar.

Don’t expect

It would have been nice if the hotel perhaps offered lunch or evening food as the breakfast was so good!

Rating:
10/10 stars

Dianne

BlackSmith

Stayed on
7 Aug 2014

We loved

I enjoyed being welcomed with tea for two and Welsh cakes.

Rating:
9/10 stars

Hamed

BlackSmith

Stayed on
8 Feb 2014

We loved

Staff and management were excellent; there were lots of thoughtful touches throughout to make life very easy. It's incredibly quiet and peaceful.

Don’t expect

A 3pm check-in would be better, but even that feels like nit-picking.

Rating:
9/10 stars

Ed

BlackSmith

Stayed on
29 Nov 2013

We loved

I liked the discreet glamour and luxury in a most beautiful setting. We were made very welcome and the service was attentive. The fabulous room and bathroom (Emily suite) had views of the mountains.

Don’t expect

It's a small thing but a WiFi code is needed every time you want to access the internet; this seems a little out of place for the price and standard of everything else.

Rating:
8/10 stars

Price information

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